It’s undeniable - having a mentor to guide you is an indispensable part of one’s journey towards successful entrepreneurship.
However, not all mentors are created equal. There are several types of mentors, both online and off-line, and who works well for you may all depend on the type of entrepreneur you are.
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According to Tech Elevator Founder and CEO Anthony Hughes, the best mentors can be categorized into five. In his article for Huffington Post, named them as the following:
The Challenger: A Challenger is a person who pushes and urges an entrepreneur to keep advancing towards a goal. “It’s also The Challenger’s responsibility to confront assumptions and ask the tough questions that ultimately prevent an entrepreneur from making costly errors,” Hughes says.
2. The Cheerleader: The second type of mentor is someone whose main task is encouragement and support. According to Hughes, a Cheerleader motivates an aspiring entrepreneur to be the best. For those who need confirmation and validation for things that he or she is doing right, the Cheerleader can be a great type of mentor to have.
The Educator: The Educator is basically a person who can inform an entrepreneur with the nitty gritty of a business. This type of mentor is someone who will patiently explain the process of a business and would take the time to understand an aspiring entrepreneur’s concerns. An Educator offers important information that could avoid costly mistakes.
4. The Ideator: An Ideator is someone who encourages an entrepreneur to be creative in innovating the business. “The Ideator loves to play the role of thought partner as an entrepreneur thinks critically about how to build a creative and differentiated business,” Hughes explained.
The Connector: The most significant value of having a Connector for a mentor is being able to be acquainted with the right people or institutions that will help you grow your business. This type of mentor opens up a network of connections for a starting entrepreneur.
In the end, choosing a mentor all depends on the type of business you are operating and your identity as a entrepreneur. In the poll bellow, tell me which of the five mentors you want to have in your journey as an entrepreneur. I’ll discuss the choice of the majority in my next post.